Manicuring implement



March 25, 1941. s. c. HENRY 2,236,096

MANICURING IMPLEMENT Filed Feb. 21, 1940 INVE TOR -An? 1M? 4 ATT RNE Patented Mar. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a manicuring implement and more particularly to a manicuring dished wheel for use in manicuring nails.

In the past various types of manicuring imple ments have been used, some of which are manually manipulated by reciprocatory movement, so as to gouge or shove the flesh and the cuticle sur-- rounding the nail. Others are motor driven and consist of a pointed implement similar to a dental bur, which may prove injurious, in that it is very easy to fracture the cuticle. Others use a rotary Wheel provided with a knurled edge, rotating in response to movement of the implement, so as to have a rolling effect.

It is an object of this invention to provide a manually rotatable wheel that is rotated against the cuticle, so as to massage the flesh surrounding the nail.

Another object of this invention is to provide an implement to function as a carrier for a lubricant, solvent or detergent to supply the same to the surface of the nail.

Another object of this invention is toprovide a dished wheel for manicuring the nails, which wheel is adapted to function as a stopper for a bottle containing a manicuring fluid.

Another object of this invention is to provide a duo-functional tool, having one end adapted for supplying a manicuring fluid to the surface of the nail during the manicuring operation and theopposite end adapted for cleaning the nails.

Another object of this invention is to provide a manicuring implement provided with a fluid carrying cavity for supplying manicuring fluid to the surface of the nail.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved manicuring implement that is beneficial to a pathological cuticle, that is easily manipulated, cheap in construction and at the same time very efficient.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the manicuring implement.

Figure 2 is another perspective view showing the manicuring implement in use.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the preferred embodiment.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 discloses a modification.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken sub stantially on the line 6-6 of the modification diclosed in Figure 5.

Figure 7 discloses a fragmentary cross sectional view of a manicuring implement positioned in the neck of a bottle containing a manicuring fluid.

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of a cap adapted for use with the bottle disclosed inFigure 7 In the past, a great number of types of manicuring implements have been devised. Some of these are primarily designed. for reciprocatory movement, for gouging the cuticle rearwardly from the nail. This gouging action has a tendency to fracture or break the cuticle, thereby causing cracks which are very annoying and painful and at times dangerous, in that they are potential sources of infection. Rotary implements have been used, some motor driven and some manually manipulated. In the D. F. Asbury Patent No. 875,681 patented January 7, 1908, a rotary wheel having a knurled edge has been shown. This rolls with the cuticle, thereby pushing the cuticle.

In the present embodiment as shown herein, a rotary wheel-like member has been shown that does not rotate with, but is preferably rotated against the relative movement between the wheel and the cuticle. This wheel is cup-shaped, so as to hold a small quantity of manicuring fluid in readiness to be fed to the exposed surface of the nail and the cuticle. This manicuring fluid may consist of an oil for the purpose of lubrication and softening of the cuticle, or it may consist of a detergent or a soapy fluid for washing the waste cuticle away from the nail.

This cuticle wheel is provided with a spindle or shank and is preferably used in association with one or more manicuring bottles, each having an internally tapered neck, so that the wheel functions as a stopper for the bottle when it may be inverted and thereby the manicuring fluid supplied to the concave cavity of the wheel. The opposite end of the shank or spindle is preferably flattened, so that it may be used in cleaning underneath the nail. This wheel and shank or spindle are integral and may be turned from wood or made from a plastic molding material or metal or any other suitable material. Wood is preferable to most plastics, in that it has less of a tendency to scratch, mar and mutilate the surface of the nail. The implement is preferably coated or treated with a water or oil impervious coating material, colored as desired. The wheel is symmetrically disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis ofthe shank or spindle.

Referring to the drawing, the preferred embodiment includes a wheel portion 10 substantially frustum-conical in shape and terminating in a dished or concave cavity l2. The wheel portion if] is integral with a spindle or shank portion l4 terminating in a flattened end l6. As may best be seen by referring to Figure 2, the concave end l2 of the wheel portion l rests upon the surface of the nail to be manicured. The wheel is preferably rotated against the normal rotation caused by the contacting edge engaging the cuticle. This results in a very beneficial effect upon the flesh surrounding the nail, in that the rotation of the wheel against the normal rotation caused by the wheel contacting the cuticle massages the flesh surrounding the nail.

As may best be seen by referring to the disclosure shown in Figure 2, the wheel I0 is preferably rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as shown by the small arrow on member to, when member Hl advances in a counterclockwise direction along the top of the nail, as indicated by the arrow located on the top of the nail. This is very beneficial from a pathological aspect. It results in a proper shaping of the lunula. Also, itirnproves the blood circulation in the vicinity of the nail.

For proper results a suitable manicuring fluid should be supplied to the parts coming in contact with the manicuring implement. Such a manicuring fluid, whether it be a lubricant or a detergent, may be supplied by inserting the conical end it] into an internally tapering neck 20 of a bottle 22 containing a suitable manicuring fluid. It is merely necessary to either shake the bottle or tip it sufficiently so as to supply a drop of the manicuring fluid to the concave or hollow end 12, which is utilized to supply the necessary manicuring fluid to the parts coming in contact with the wheel It. The manicuring fluid will spread upon the top of the nail and come in contact with the cuticle surrounding the nail. This softens the cuticle, lubricates the skin, lubricates the surface of the nail and washes the removed cuticle from the surface of the nail. The washing will be very effective if a detergent is used. Instead of utilizing one bottle of manicuring fluid, it may be desirable to use two or more, for supplying various kinds of manicuring fluids during the manicuring of the nails. The bottles are preferably provided with external threads receiving the threads of a screw cap 24.

The opposite end of the shank or spindle M has been tapered at It and may be used for scraping particles adhering to the surface of the nail and for removing foreign matter that may be lodged underneath the edge of the nail.

In the preferred embodiment, the operating edge of the wheel It is flared outwardly, thereby tending to Work under the flesh surrounding the nail. For some purposes it may be desirable to massage the flesh surrounding the nail without having a flaring edge projecting underneath the surrounding flesh. In the modification disclosed in Figures 5 and 6 the end of the wheel 26 is provided with a tapered edge 28, merging into a concave end 30. This modification is used in a manner similar to that disclosed in connection with the preferred embodiment, excepting the wheel has massaging eflect without projecting under the flesh surrounding the nail. For some types of use it may be preferable to utilize both the preferred embodiment and the modification. It may be found desirable to massage the surrounding flesh by the modified disclosure having a tapering edge, this followed by a final treatment utilizing the preferred embodiment where the flaring edge has a tendency to project under the flesh surrounding the nail, so as to remove loose cuticle from the surface of the nail and so as to remove foreign matter which may have been lodged under the flesh surrounding the nail.

The shape of the Wheel may be altered, the angle of the taper changed, so as to meet the particular demands of the manicurist. Instead of supplying one or two manicuring implements, these may be sold in sets, varying in shape and varying in diameter. One type of manicuring implement may be best suited for one type of fingernail and another type for another fingernail. Furthermore, the smaller the nail, the smaller the diameter of the manicuring implement should be. For a large nail, a manicuring implement that has a comparatively large diameter may be used.

Obviously, the implement may be rotated in one direction on one side of the nail and in the opposite direction on the opposite side of the nail, either in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, or it may be rotated in the same direction on both sides of the nail, either clockwise or counterclockwise. The implement is adapted for use in manicuring fingernails and toenails on human beings or for manicuring pets.

Any suitable manicuring fluid may be used, such as oil, a soapy solution, Water or any suitable solvent or medicament.

Although the preferred modification of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A manicuring implement adapted to be inserted into an internally tapering neck of a bottle of manicuring fluid and functioning as a stopper therefor, said implement including a wheel portion merging into a shank portion of reduced diameter, the maximum diameters of the wheel portion lying in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the shank portion, so that the wheel portion is symmetrically disposed with respect to the shank portion, the end of the wheel portion being provided with a concave cavity for supplying the manicuring fluid to the nail, so that as the wheel is rotated on top of the nail with the end of the wheel in contact therewith, manicuring fluid is supplied to the parts coming in contact with the wheel.

2. A manicuring implement adapted to be inserted into an internally tapering neck of a bottle of manicuring fluid and functioning as a stopper therefor, said implement including a tapering wheel portion provided with a concave cavity for supplying the manicuring fluid to the nail, and means integral with the wheel portion for manually rotating the wheel portion contacting the nail against the relative movement existing between the Wheel portion and the cuticle to masssage the flesh surrounding the nail, the wheel portion being symmetrically disposed with respect to said means.

3. A manicuring implement adapted to be inserted into an internally tapering neck of a bottle of manicuring fluid and functioning as a stopper therefor, said implement including a frustumconical wheel portion terminating in an outward ly directed flange portion adapted to project underneath the cuticle, and a shank portion integral with the reduced end of the wheel portion for rotating the wheel contacting the nail against the relative movement existing between the wheel and the cuticle, the maximum diameters of the wheel portion lying in a plane normal, to the longitudinal axis of the shank portion, so that the wheel portion is symmetrically disposed with respect to the shank portion.

4. A manicuring implement adapted to be inserted into an internally tapering neck of a bottle of manicuring fluid and functioning as a stopper therefor, said implement including a f rustumconical wheel portion terminating in an outward- 1y directed flange portion extending throughout the periphery of said wheel, said flange portion being adapted to project underneath the cuticle, and a shank portion integral with the reduced end of the wheel portion for rotating the wheel contacting the nail against the relative movement existing between the wheel and the cuticle, the end of the wheel portion being provided with a concave cavity for supplying the manicuring fluid to the contacting surfaces.

STEPHEN C. HENRY. 

